Partners
by HeyItsThatOneChick
Summary: Sometimes I forget that he is truly human. He can be killed and he isn't as invulnerable as he makes himself seem.


The sun has long since set and I find myself on the deck of the Thousand Sunny. As everyone lay sleeping in their quarters, I stand here, leaning on the rails, overlooking the sea, which is shining beautifully tonight. If I were to say this sight is what kept me up I would only be lying. In truth, as dawn came, the creeping night air began to call out to my past. The gently blowing wind and the heat of the night had brought with it memories of desert plains. Reminding me of a dry kingdom I once called home. It had put me into a nostalgic mood and so I volunteered for the nightly duty of watching the ship. I wanted an excuse to stay out by myself, a chance to reminisce in private.

Life in Alabasta Kingdom was nowhere near as exciting as being apart of Luffy's crew but there are times when I find myself thinking wistfully of the arid lands. Living here at sea, everyday is an adventure but I sometimes find myself missing the slow comfortable pace of the kingdom. It was the first place where I'd been able to live comfortably for so long since I had been labeled an enemy of the World Government. I immensely enjoyed the kingdoms rich culture as well as its history. I would even occasionally sit on rooftops watching life go by when Crocodile had no assignments for me…

…Crocodile.

I couldn't stop the curse that fell from my lips.

No matter how many years pass by it seems like he'll always haunt me. My memory of him stains the image of the beautiful lands in my head.

Thoughts of him invade my psyche and I'm powerless to stop it.

As I thought, he's a part of my past that I can never escape.

I place my hand on my abdomen, fingering the ugly scar through the fabric of my shirt. It starts to ache and I can't tell if it's because of my ministrations or the old memories that are now filling my mind.

I sigh and close my eyes as a breeze comes by. It might not be cool, but it's soothing. The breeze caresses my face, winds back around my head and tickles the back of my neck, as it runs through my hair.

I'm panicking. I should have just poured the water on him. Why was I foolish enough to believe he'd actually let the water hit him? I've lost sight of him and now I'm panicking. Did he— The scent of his cologne fills my nostrils, and I dare not move. I've found him.

Never have I experienced such a silence. I feel the pounding of my heart reverberating throughout my body. My eyes are locked straight ahead, watching the stray particles of sand drift through the air. Sweat trails down my back and I can feel him… He's so close. His breath is hot against the side of my face. I feel his hand loosely gripping my bare hip. The natural roughness of his hand, amplified due to the incomplete transition from sand to skin. He's holding me gently in place, thumb slowly rubbing circles into the small of my back. The gentle gesture only succeeds in deepening my fear, and now I'm shaking. Pressing his mouth directly onto my ear, he murmurs, as if whispering sweet nothings. His lips start forming words along the contours of my inner ear.

The ache blossoms into a burning pain.

I forgive you for everything, Nico Robin.

My eyes snap open and I quickly look down. I see my right hand, clutching where I had been impaled only years before. My heart's beating wildly and I slowly retract the claw like grip I have upon my self and examine my hand. No blood, no sand, nothing. There's nothing there but the creases of my palm and a stray tear that found its way there. I tell myself it's from the pain and quickly wipe it away; I don't dwell on it.

I take a few moments to steady my laboring heart and place my hand back on the rail to join the other. The pain regresses into a dull ache once more and my thoughts begin anew.

You said…

I forgive you for everything, Nico Robin.

But I never asked for your forgiveness…

I've always known you'd do this!

But…

I feel no anger towards you. Do you know why, Nico Robin?

I couldn't answer...

Because I... have never trusted anyone from the very start!

We couldn't have made ourselves any clearer to one another than we did that day. I can re-analyze the words we exchanged as many times as I'd like. I can look as deep as I want to but the outcome will always be the same; there's nothing left to say. You left no questions unanswered. All of your moves were accounted for in the few words that you said to me.

It was perfect execution Crocodile, as always.

I raise a balled fist above my head and slam it down on to the rail.

Damn.

Again.

You.

Again.

Crocodile!

And again.

I slowly let myself sink to the ground. I rest my head against a rail, and let my eyes shut. I sit on my heels and let my hands slide down to loosely grip the rails on each side of the one I am currently resting my head against.

Seasons have come and gone and you still manage to plague me. You still manage to bring me to my knees.

You must know, Crocodile.

You must have known. Must have known where to strike, where it hurt the most. Your words were precise and they were lethal. You were the judge, the jury, and the executioner. You decided my fate because... because you had the power to? No. You did so because you won.

My eyes open once more. I look past the rails and past the sea.

You did know.

You told me yourself.

… Never trusted…

An especially strong gust of wind runs through the ship, shaking the trees. The sound of rustling leaves invades my ears and I ignore the chill on my face.

We were fighting from the moment we became partners. We were constantly challenging one another the four years we were together. We would always question one another. We'd question one an others logic. It was a battle of the minds. We are both logically thinking beings. Our actions are dictated by what we deduce is the proper course of action. You knew this and sought to challenge my infamous mind. You found me and lured me in with the offer of protection. You knew I'd never give you the secrets of the Poneglyph. It was some excitement to just pass the time and I kept up with you. Our verbal debates and back-and-firths were enjoyable. Your business even benefitted from our so-called partnership, you said so yourself. But my mind faltered at some point. I abandoned logic and…

… Trusted…

At the time of our last battle I hadn't processed his words like I should have. Instead of reading his words I was feeling them.

And… and I lost. I, Nico Robin, genius archeologist extraordinaire… lost.

I forgive you for everything, Nico Robin. I feel no anger towards you. Do you know why, Nico Robin? Because I... have never trusted anyone from the very start!

You were mocking me, subliminally gloating. You were so clear and yet I still didn't understand because I wasn't thinking straight. I don't believe I was thinking at all. It became dangerous; I slipped up, and paid the price. You cruel, manipulating, ingenious man.

I take a few more moments before settling back down spread on my back on to the deck with a somber expression adorning my face. I stare up at the stars and sigh deeply.

I lost and disappointed you. I failed your expectations and you punished me for trusting anyone… especially you. Well consider it a lesson learned. This scar is for always.

I turn over on to my right side, right arm beneath and my left placed bent before me. Another breeze passes by tussling my hair more than it has been.

I close my eyes.

Are you so sure that it wasn't just me who made a mistake, Crocodile?

You weren't mad at me but maybe you were mad at yourself? If you hadn't trusted me even a bit then why try to kill me? I may have attacked first but it was only in response to your threat. You could have let me leave then and there. I knew who you were but what power did I hold over you, I'm a criminal, who would I tell? Who would believe me? You had your fun and we could have gone our separate ways. You weren't upset for long after finding out I wouldn't give you the secrets to Pluton. You said you'd get the secrets yourself. So why kill me? To cut a loose end… or cut a part of your cold dark heart.

Did I make my way inside your heart Crocodile? Did you notice this at some point and knew you had to nip it in the bud before anything, that was threatening to you, blossomed? What better way to cure heartache than to get rid of the source? What you might have felt for me went against your beliefs. You could have soon began to trust me and I could have destroyed you. You couldn't take any chances there was only one logical decision. End my life.

This is why I never like to think about Crocodile. Once I believe I have the answer more seem to appear. Will I ever understand what transpired between us during the time we were partners? I don't even believe I've begun to scratch the surface.

I'm conscious but the immense amount of comfort I'm currently experiencing is stopping me from fully awakening. The balcony doors behind me must be open because there's a wonderful breeze and a warming heat that's caressing the back of my bare body. I don't believe I'll be getting up anytime soon.

I try to dig myself deeper into the mattress, as if it were further possible. The movement is followed by a string of grumbles and grunts that hadn't come from me.

Opening my eyes, I'm mildly surprised to be met with the sight of Crocodile laying next to me, in the same state of undress as I. He shouldn't still be here and yet he is. It's a welcomed surprise.

He's facing me but he's positioned a bit higher, causing me to slightly crane my neck. The distance between us is comfortable. He's far enough away for uninterrupted movement but still within arms reach. His right arm is laying behind him and his head, rests on his outstretched hooked-left.

What an opportune moment that lays here before me. I move a little closer to him, making sure to keep my movements smooth, as to not awaken him.

I take the time to observe him. It's a rare sight when he doesn't have his signature scowl and creased brow carved into his face. What a sight it is…

Crocodile is already a handsome man, but with that bad habit of contorting his features absent he strikes a gorgeous image. I know what type of man he is but I cannot deny him this truth. His dusky toned skin only further compliments his strong features. His ink black hair that never seems to stay in place just begs you to run your hands through. Not to mention his great stature and broad build, it's awe-inspiring. His gait alone makes one quiver. He is a fine specimen of the male gender. The original Mr. tall, dark, and handsome. And he's laying here, in front of me, in all his glory.

I feel brave this morning and so I raise my free hand up to trace the contours of his face.

I first skim the tips of my fingers over his forehead. The wrinkles on his brow are less prominent now. The absence of his furrowed brows takes with it a few years. I trail down and lightly trace a sharp dark eyebrow. I continue down to his cheekbone and stop before I reach his scar.

I feel as if I'd be invading his privacy if I were to touch it. I may not agree with Crocodile but I do respect him and I'd be disrespecting him by getting carried away. There's a secrecy to disfiguring scars a don't-ask kind of rule that you follow. One this bad doesn't have a story of victory to tell. I've always wondered but it's not my place, not my business. Just as I would never dare inquire about his missing left hand. Bringing up memories of however he had lost it would most likely enrage him.

I start to retract my hand but it's suddenly caught in tight grip. I gasp and my stomach drops. I've been caught!

I quickly look up and meet Crocodile's eyes. He's giving me a look so intense I nearly forgot what I was doing. His dark eyes are boring into mine and I can't remember how to breathe. No, I'm breathing but I just don't notice because the way he's looking at me is like… nothing matters but him. It still doesn't change that I'm practically drowning in his eyes. The darkness seems to be drawing me in, as would a black hole. I know that the darkness of Crocodile does not solely lie within his eyes and it makes me shiver. With his face still relaxed, he gazes at me and I was right. The sight of a de-stressed Crocodile was intoxicating. Why does he insist on scowling? He has me wishing my hand wasn't the only thing he was gripping. This man will eat your heart out and you'll gladly let him. This man is dangerous.

He loosens the grip he has on my hand but I barely notice; he has me transfixed. I finally break out of my trance and look at my captured hand when he begins to bring it towards his face. He places it where I had it only a moment before, right above his facial scar. He holds my hand there for a few seconds before releasing it and returning his arm to its original position. I hold the position he's left my arm in and look back towards his face, searching for answers. He catches me once more within his gaze but he doesn't reveal anything. He stays silent. I search his eyes for an explanation but he just continues to steadily look at me. His face is expressionless and I can't read him. He must have sensed my confused acceptance of his actions because he slowly closed his eyes and assumed his initial state of sleep.

He's left me quite baffled. He's given me silent permission to continue my previous attentions and even went so far as encouraging me to touch his scar. I don't understand him. He's such an enigma. I can see myself discovering the secret of the Void Century before solving the mystery that is Crocodile. The challenge is enticing. I wouldn't call his gesture tender because this man is anything but. I'm not sure if his actions have a deeper meaning. If Crocodile was any other man I'd consider the gesture as trusting but he's not just any man. He must have just enjoyed the sensation of me mapping out his features, and wanted it to continue

If this is the case I won't challenge his impatient nature, he's not one for teasing. I also don't know what'll happen if he looks at me like that again. I may be lost forever.

I turn my attention back to my fingers that placed on his face and begin to slide them down. His skin is smooth, soft. I move lightly and slowly, I can't help but feel a hint of trepidation as I come closer. I finally pass on to it and I quickly look to his eyes. They're still closed and my fear and anxiety vanish.

I take a moment to softly caress the deep cut. It's milky shade blends in closely with his skin. The only give away of the scar is its depth and smooth shiny effect.

I get an itch to reach up and place a kiss on it but the thought is quickly crushed and forgotten

I continue to follow the soft horizontal trail to the bridge of his nose. I use only my middle finger to gently rub vertically up, then down the length of his sharp nose. I go over the tip then dip low into his cupids bow-shaped upper lip. Then I place my hand on his lips and feel the heat of his breath coming from his nose. His breathing is fast but steady. I then trail four of my fingers slowly down his full bottom lip. My fingers reach his chin and curve under to cup and follow the line of his strong jaw to his ear and brush a stray lock of hair behind his ear. Using the same hand I head back down under his chin and steadily down his neck. I feel him crane his neck back a bit. I look back up to watch him but his expression hasn't changed. He's just laying there letting me explore and so I continue. I use my whole hand to pass over his collar and down to stop in the middle of his chest.

I pause.

Should I feel this surprised that I feel a heart beating under my hand. A little erratic due to my earlier stimulation but beating nonetheless. He was warm proof that it was truly beating.

I stroked the area a couple of more times before leaning closer and setting my ear against it, resting the side of my face against his chest. I hear it beating loud and powerful.

Sometimes I forget that he is truly human. He can be killed and he isn't as invulnerable as he makes himself seem. There must have been a time when this wouldn't have been surprising. But that time is now lost in the winds of time. Crocodile isn't going to be regressing anytime soon, he's risen to the top and he's going to take from the world like it did his left hand. His will to succeed is admirable but the means by which he achieves his goals are not.

"What happened to you?" I whispered into his chest.

The sudden arm that wrapped around me and pulled me closer startled me. I feel Crocodile bring his mouth close to my ear and whisper back to me "You know what happened. The same happened to you… Nico Robin."

I wake. I hadn't even notice myself fall asleep. I quickly sit up and observe my surroundings. I'm still on the deck laying where I had last laid on the grass. It's dawn and the heat of the previous night was gone. I had fallen asleep during my watch. Someone could have snuck on the boat a murdered everyone in their sleep—

Loud crashing followed by angry yells and more crashing interrupts my thoughts.

Never mind.

I get up collecting myself and finish off my last thoughts, shaking off the final bits of wistfulness.

We both faced the world and lost, that's what happened. It's no surprise that it was the world that made you so cold, you aren't the first and won't be the last. But where you became jaded and unchanging I challenged the world once more, and am still fighting. I fight for my freedom and my life. I fight to roam the seas with the ones that make my life worth living. I hope one day you'll find what it is that'll make you fight again, Crocodile. I found my reason and I'll tell you, they're worth it.


End file.
